Gramma (short story): Difference between revisions

"Gramma"
"Gramma"
Short story by Stephen King
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Fantasy, horror, short story
Publication
Published in	Weirdbook (1st release),; Skeleton Crew
Media type	Magazine (1st release)
Publication date	1984

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 14:49, 25 October 2024

"Gramma" is a short horror story by American author Stephen King. It was first published in Weirdbook magazine in 1984 and collected in King's 1985 collection called Skeleton Crew. King incorporated elements from works of H. P. Lovecraft in this story, making it a story set in the Cthulhu Mythos.

Plot summary

An 11-year-old boy named George Bruckner is at his home in Castle Rock, Maine with his mother, Ruth, when the two find out that George's 13-year-old brother Buddy has broken his ankle playing baseball. George reluctantly volunteers to watch his bedridden grandmother while his mom goes to pick up Buddy at the hospital. After she leaves, George recalls a terrifying memory from five years ago where his "Gramma" wanted to hug him, making him cry until his mom managed to pacify the situation. As he continues waiting for his mom to return, more repressed memories begin to surface.

He recalls overhearing his mother's siblings begging her to care for the old woman, forcing her to leave San Francisco and move to Castle Rock, Maine. George also recalls that Gramma had been kicked out of her church, as well as dismissed from her position as a schoolteacher, for owning particular books. Finally he remembers that the woman was once infertile and it was only after being excommunicated that she became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy child. George suddenly hears noises coming from her room. Checking up on her, he then remembers his Gramma uttering strange words one night, and a neighbor dying the next morning. These recollections convince George that his grandmother is a witch, having gained dark powers from reading the forbidden tomes. Upon seeing Gramma's unresponsive body, George believes that she has died. After doing some tests that convince him that she has died, he attempts to call the doctor only to realize that the phone is dead. As he grows more anxious, he returns to her room to cover her face.

Suddenly, her hand wraps around his wrist, causing George to flee the room in a panic. He then hears groaning from the room that turn into his Gramma calling him. Upon entering, he sees Gramma sitting on her chair as she orders him to come to her. He then realizes that she plans to take over his body. A supernatural force compels him towards her arms until he manages to break free. Making his way back to the kitchen, the phone rings. He picks it up and hears his Aunt Flo on the other end. As Gramma closes the distance, Aunt Flo tells George to command her to stop by invoking the name Hastur. He does so, but not before she manages to embrace him. An hour later, Ruth returns to find George seemingly unharmed. He tells her that Gramma died as his mother asks if anything else happened. George denies it and goes off to his room to sleep. It is revealed that Gramma managed to possessed George as he then uses a spell to kill his Aunt Flo with an aneurysm. The story ends with George planning to torture his brother with his newfound power.

Film, TV, and theatrical adaptations

The story was made into an episode of The Twilight Zone in 1986; the screenplay was written by Harlan Ellison. Some of the voice over for "Gramma" was done by Piper Laurie,^[1] who had previously starred in the first film adaptation of King's novel Carrie.

In 2014, the story was adapted into a feature film titled Mercy.^[2] Chandler Riggs portrayed George in the film. It received mixed reviews.

"Gramma" was translated into Marathi by Indian writer Narayan Dharap as "Aaji", which served as a basis for the opening act of Tumbbad (2018 film).

References

^ "Stephen King Short Story Adapted as Horror Feature MERCY for Universal". Collider. October 25, 2012. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
^ "Stephen King Adaptation 'Mercy' Headed to Big Screen With 'Paranormal Activity' Producer Jason Blumhouse". 26 October 2012.

External links

"Gramma" at StephenKing.com
Gramma title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database

[1] "Stephen King Short Story Adapted as Horror Feature MERCY for Universal". Collider. October 25, 2012. Retrieved December 7, 2021.

[2] "Stephen King Adaptation 'Mercy' Headed to Big Screen With 'Paranormal Activity' Producer Jason Blumhouse". 26 October 2012.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Refimprove|date=September 2014}}
+{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}
 {{Infobox short story
 |name=Gramma
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 |country=United States
 |language=English
-|genre=[[Fantasy]] [[Horror fiction|Horror]] [[short story]]
+|genre= [[Fantasy]], [[Horror fiction|horror]], [[short story]]
-|published_in=''Weirdbook'' <small>(1st release)</small>,<br>''[[Skeleton Crew]]''
+|published_in=''Weirdbook'' <small>(1st release)</small>,<br />''[[Skeleton Crew (short story collection)|Skeleton Crew]]''
 |publisher=
 |media_type=Magazine <small>(1st release)</small>
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 |followed_by=
 }}
-"'''Gramma'''" is a [[short story|short horror story]] by American author [[Stephen King]]. It was first published in ''Weirdbook'' magazine in 1984 and collected in King's 1985 collection called ''[[Skeleton Crew]]''. Certain characters/creatures/unearthly powers featured in the works of [[H. P. Lovecraft]] also appear in this story, making it a story set in the [[Cthulhu Mythos]].
+"'''Gramma'''" is a [[short story|short horror story]] by American author [[Stephen King]]. It was first published in ''Weirdbook'' magazine in 1984 and collected in King's 1985 collection called ''[[Skeleton Crew (short story collection)|Skeleton Crew]]''. King incorporated elements from works of [[H. P. Lovecraft]] in this story, making it a story set in the [[Cthulhu Mythos]].
 ==Plot summary==
-An 11-year-old boy named George Bruckner is at home with his mother, Ruth, when the two find out that George's 14-year-old brother Buddy has [[fracture|broken his leg]] playing [[baseball]]. George's mother must go into the city, an hour away, to visit Buddy in the [[hospital]], but someone must stay home to watch her own mother, a huge, cantankerous, ancient, bedridden woman. George reluctantly volunteers.
+An 11-year-old boy named George Bruckner is at his home in [[Castle Rock, Maine]] with his mother, Ruth, when the two find out that George's 13-year-old brother Buddy has broken his ankle playing [[baseball]]. George reluctantly volunteers to watch his bedridden grandmother while his mom goes to pick up Buddy at the [[hospital]]. After she leaves, George recalls a terrifying memory from five years ago where his "Gramma" wanted to hug him, making him cry until his mom managed to pacify the situation. As he continues waiting for his mom to return, more [[repressed memories]] begin to surface.
+He recalls overhearing his mother's siblings begging her to care for the old woman, forcing her to leave [[San Francisco]] and move to [[Castle Rock (Stephen King)|Castle Rock]], [[Maine]]. George also recalls that Gramma had been kicked out of her church, as well as dismissed from her position as a schoolteacher, for owning particular books. Finally he remembers that the woman was once [[infertility|infertile]] and it was only after being excommunicated that she became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy child. George suddenly hears noises coming from her room. Checking up on her, he then remembers his Gramma uttering [[incantation|strange words]] one night, and a neighbor dying the next morning. These recollections convince George that his grandmother is a [[witch]], having gained dark powers from reading the forbidden tomes. Upon seeing Gramma's unresponsive body, George believes that she has died. After doing some tests that convince him that she has died, he attempts to call the doctor only to realize that the phone is dead. As he grows more anxious, he returns to her room to cover her face.
-As George sets about the kitchen after his mother leaves, he begins to think about his "Gramma" and recalls the first time she came to the house. He had been six years old, and the old woman demanded that he come to her that she could "give him a hug". George was terrified by the idea and cried endlessly. His mother eventually pacified Gramma, promising that he would hug her "in time".
+Suddenly, her hand wraps around his wrist, causing George to flee the room in a panic. He then hears groaning from the room that turn into his Gramma calling him. Upon entering, he sees Gramma sitting on her chair as she orders him to come to her. He then realizes that she plans to take over his body. A supernatural force compels him towards her arms until he manages to break free. Making his way back to the kitchen, the phone rings. He picks it up and hears his Aunt Flo on the other end. As Gramma closes the distance, Aunt Flo tells George to command her to stop by invoking the name [[Hastur]]. He does so, but not before she manages to embrace him. An hour later, Ruth returns to find George seemingly unharmed. He tells her that Gramma died as his mother asks if anything else happened. George denies it and goes off to his room to sleep. It is revealed that Gramma managed to possessed George as he then uses a spell to kill his Aunt Flo with an [[aneurysm]]. The story ends with George planning to torture his brother with his newfound power.
-George waits for his mother to return. As the hours pass, strange thoughts - [[repressed memory|events he had witnessed earlier]] - begin to surface in his mind. He recalls overhearing his mother's siblings begging her to care for the old woman: "You're the only one who can quiet her down, Ruth." Eventually, Ruth was forced to leave [[San Francisco]] and move to [[Castle Rock (Stephen King)|Castle Rock, Maine]] to care for their mother. George also recalls that Gramma had been kicked out of her church, as well as dismissed from her position as a schoolteacher, for owning particular books. He finally remembers that the woman had been [[infertility|infertile]] for a long while, any pregnancies she did achieve ending in [[miscarriage]]s or [[stillbirth]]s and it was only after being excommunicated that she became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy child.
+==Film, TV, and theatrical adaptations==
-George suddenly hears a scraping sound on sheets; he imagines Gramma's long, ragged fingernails rubbing against her bed. He enters to check on her and watches the [[obese]], white, almost formless woman for a few moments. Quite suddenly, he recalls other memories: his Gramma uttering [[incantation|strange words]] one night, and relatives dying the next morning. George abruptly realizes that his grandmother is a [[witch]], having gained dark powers from reading the forbidden tomes.
+The story was made into [[Gramma (The Twilight Zone)|an episode]] of ''[[The Twilight Zone (1985 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' in 1986; the screenplay was written by [[Harlan Ellison]]. Some of the voice over for "Gramma" was done by [[Piper Laurie]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/stephen-king-mercy/|title=Stephen King Short Story Adapted as Horror Feature MERCY for Universal|date=October 25, 2012|website=Collider|accessdate=December 7, 2021}}</ref> who had previously starred in the [[Carrie (1976 film)|first film adaptation]] of King's novel ''[[Carrie (novel)|Carrie]]''.
+In 2014, the story was adapted into a feature film titled ''[[Mercy (2014 film)|Mercy]]''.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.slashfilm.com/stephen-king-adaptation-mercy-headed-to-big-screen-with-paranormal-activity-producer-jason-blumhouse/| title = Stephen King Adaptation 'Mercy' Headed to Big Screen With 'Paranormal Activity' Producer Jason Blumhouse| date = 26 October 2012}} </ref> [[Chandler Riggs]] portrayed George in the film. It received mixed reviews.
-As George makes this realization, he realizes that his Gramma has died. Though terrified, he checks her pulse and holds a mirror before her nose, making sure. Once he is convinced, he prepares to make a phone call to the doctor, only to find that the phone is dead. George opts to wait for his mother to come home, and thinks of the praise he will gain for handling the situation so calmly, until he realizes that he did not cover his grandmother's face. He imagines his brother tormenting him endlessly for this "cowardly" lack of action.
+"Gramma" was translated into [[Marathi language|Marathi]] by Indian writer [[Narayan Dharap]] as "Aaji", which served as a basis for the opening act of ''[[Tumbbad]]'' (2018 film).
-Determined, George enters the dead woman's room and places a sheet over her flabby face. As he does, her hand suddenly wraps around his wrist and holds it for a few moments. George flees the room, injuring his nose in the process. As he tries to rationalize the movement, he hears groaning from the next room, as though the corpse was trying to get off of the bed. He then hears his Gramma calling him: "Come here, Georgie...Gramma wants to give you ''a hug''."
+==See also==
-George is terrified and races from the room. He hears the enormous woman stumbling after him, and even guesses that as a witch, she waited until she was alone with him to die. His Aunt Flo calls, and he tries to explain the situation as Gramma enters the kitchen. Aunt Flo tells him that he must invoke the name of [[Hastur]] and tell Gramma to "lie down" in his name. Gramma knocks the phone from his hand, and George screams the phrase repeatedly: "You ''have'' to lie down! In Hastur's ''name!'' Lie ''down!''" Gramma wraps her arms around him.
+*[[Stephen King short fiction bibliography]]
+*"[[Willie the Weirdo]]"
-The story jumps to an hour later, with George sitting calmly at the kitchen table. When Ruth returns, George runs to her, explaining that Gramma died. His mother fearfully asks if "anything else happened." George denies it and goes off to his room to sleep. It is implied that Gramma has possessed George, turning the boy into an evil [[warlock]], as he used a spell to strike down his Aunt Flo with an [[aneurysm]]. The story ends with George grinning wickedly, imagining the kind of torture he will be able to inflict on his brother. It is not clarified if George has been possessed by the dead woman's spirit or has absorbed her evil powers to use as his own.
-==Film, TV or theatrical adaptations==
-The story was made into [[Gramma (The Twilight Zone)|an episode]] of ''[[The New Twilight Zone]]'' in 1986; the screenplay was written by [[Harlan Ellison]]. Some of the voice over for "Gramma" was done by [[Piper Laurie]], who had previously starred in the [[Carrie (1976 film)|first film adaptation]] of King's novel ''[[Carrie (novel)|Carrie]]''.
-In 2014, the story was adapted into a feature film titled ''[[Mercy (2014 film)|Mercy]]''.<ref>http://www.slashfilm.com/stephen-king-adaptation-mercy-headed-to-big-screen-with-paranormal-activity-producer-jason-blumhouse/</ref> [[Chandler Riggs]] portrayed George in the film. It received mixed reviews.
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
-==See also==
+== External links ==
+* [https://stephenking.com/works/short/gramma.html "Gramma" at StephenKing.com]
-*[[Stephen King short fiction bibliography]]
+* {{ISFDB title|40708}}
-{{Skeleton Crew}}
+{{Skeleton Crew (short story collection)}}
 {{Stephen King}}
@@ Line 51: / Line 48: @@
 [[Category:Fantasy short stories]]
 [[Category:Horror short stories]]
-[[Category:Witchcraft in written fiction
+[[Category:Short stories about witches and witchcraft]]
 [[Category:Works originally published in American magazines]]
 [[Category:Works originally published in fantasy fiction magazines]]
 [[Category:Short stories adapted into films]]
+[[Category:Short stories set in Maine]]